The Bishop's Palace adjoining Ely Cathedral is a rambling medieval complex that served as one of the principal residences of the Bishop of Ely from the 15th century until 1941. The bishops of Ely were historically very wealthy — they owned vast fenland estates and collected substantial tithes from a large diocese — and the palace buildings reflect centuries of ambitious building and rebuilding.
The palace is not generally open to visitors, but the exterior and the approach through the cathedral grounds are part of any good walk around the close. The great galilee porch facing the palace is one of the most photographed views of the cathedral. The whole precinct of cathedral, palace, and associated medieval buildings is unusually intact for an English city.